The Quest of Light's Blood
by Searching4.a.Reason
Summary: Lost... Galahad and Gawain are completely lost. Only thing is they don't know it yet, nor do they realise the path they travel is leading them towards the adventure of a lifetime... Even the greatest of tales begin somewhere, right? (Set before the movie - you've been warned.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own King Arthur, the Arthurian legends or any of its characters. The only ones I do own are the ones that I create... Alright I think you get it.

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Chapter One: Lost

Sodden, completely soaked, drenched, doused and sopping. To say that Arthur's youngest knight was far from impressed with the current situation would be an understatement.

The ground squelched with every step the companions took. To any onlookers they probably resembled drowned rats, their faces a perfect image of concentration as they attempted to navigate the dark, marshy terrain without landing on their arses. The icy mist wafted around them caressing their goose flesh like a lover's touch in the inky darkness. The moon was missing from the sky tonight, a gravely missed friend.

"Curse whoever's idea it was to send us out on this stupid errand!"

"That would be Rome… or Arthur," Gawain responded, rubbing his hands together to warm them up.

The dark haired man grumbled, muttering curses under his breath, "Would it kill the Gods to grace us with some warm, clear weather for once?"

His words seemed humorous to his golden haired friend, "Come now Galahad, this is Britain. The place is as hospitable as its people."

_Now that was something the young knight could not dispute. If it wasn't misty it was foggy, if it wasn't that it was raining or at worst snowing, sometimes even an unpleasant combination of all the conditions._

Mud caked boots and armour, clothes clung to freezing bodies like a second skin and both men were near willing to give their right hands for shelter, fire and food.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Galahad questioned, growing ever suspicious of his friend's navigational skills. The duo had been walking since they'd been separated from the others in a Woad ambush through a marsh. Their mounts had spooked mid-escape, bolted and thrown the experienced riders soon after, leaving them to wander about the countryside in search of their brothers-in-arms.

_Tristan was the Scout for a reason. The silent one was the only one that could navigate this wretched island, weather regardless._

No response came as they continued along the sludgy trail.

The veil of black mist cleared and in the distance, the glow of a fire appeared from between the trunks of a circle of trees. An answer to weary prayers it would seem. Cautiously they make their way toward the camp, going against their usual instincts. Gawain only carried with him a dagger, as his sword had been left on his saddle, Galahad however did have his sword. This was the first form of shelter the 'brothers' had seen since they began wandering and both were too tired to protest.

What they found in the refuge surprised them completely…

Nestled in the shelter of four strong trees, a girl with blazing red hair sat, glaring into the dancing flames as fat crystal-like beads slid down her rosy cheeks.

Silence was her only company. "Such comfort is that of a fire," she spoke as if addressing someone, loud enough for the knights, who stood concealed behind one of the trees, to hear.

"Comfort enough," called the blonde warrior, "Is silence the only company you keep, my lady? Or would you be so kind as to allow my friend and I to encroach on your hospitality."

"Come, warm your bones. I bid no harm if you bid me none."

A collective sigh of relief escaped near blue lips as the two sprawled out beside the fire. The three strangers sat inconspicuously observing each other in the awkward silence, unsure of what to say or do.

Gawain sighed, "I mean no offense when I say this, but what is a girl doing in the wilderness alone?"

The bitter chuckle that escaped her lips proved there was reason behind her previous tears.

"What use would such knowledge be to you? If I am a girl then you are mere lads too. Surely it is strange that you as well wander the wilds?"

She had a point, even if both knights were disgruntled by her berating.

"My friend and I were separated from our group," Gawain explained, ringing the water from his hair, "We are trying to get home."

"Oh and where would that be?"

"Hadrian's Wall. We're knights." Even Galahad was surprised to hear his voice answer the question and the expression on his face confirmed that. Gawain shot the boy an unimpressed look, before turning back to observe the girl.

"Ah, Sarmatian's, well it seems you've gone and got yourself quite lost for Hadrian's Wall is not in this direction at all." The fair-skinned lass paused and seemed to weigh up her options, "My little brother was taken by bandits…" Well that was not what the duo had expected to hear, "I tried to stop them, but I was knocked unconscious. When I awoke, there was a location carved into the door, nothing more, and nothing less." She hugged her knees to her chest, tucking her bare feet under the cover of her tight brown dress, "I have to find him, before they kill him…" Her voice trailed off as tears pooled in her glimmering sapphire pools. Her face suddenly lit up as though a spark had been ignited, "Would you help me?"

"Would we, pardon?"

"I mean… I could make you a deal. I am in need of assistance in saving my brother and I thought since you are knights…" she took a breath, "You need to get home, right?" Indeed they did, Gawain had explained that a moment ago, Galahad nodded. "Well I need to save my brother. You help me, I'll take you to the wall myself."

"If _we_ got lost so easily how do you think _you'll_ be able to find the way back?"

"Very well, if you don't want to, I couldn't entirely blame you these parts are said to be cursed. Some even speak of a horrid beast that resides in the hills…"

A horrid beast? Galahad could nearly laugh.

_A horrible beast had sent them out on this fool's errand to begin. Reports of a village being terrorized by a dragon had made it to Arthur's ears. In response, Arthur and the knights had ridden out to investigate only to be caught smack in the middle of a Woad ambush in the process. Try as he may the youth could not recall a day that had been this wretched all year. Everybody knew dragons were only folktales told to keep children from wandering off. Why Arthur had even bothered with the silly stories was a mystery to him._

"… we will help you on your quest."

"We will?" Galahad asked having missed the first part of Gawain's response.

Gawain shared a hard look with his kin as if trying to emphasise the importance of what he was saying, "We help her, she takes us home."

"Wonderful!" the girl smiled, placing another log on the fire, "We shall continue first light tomorrow."

The two warriors nodded and watched as the young maiden sprawled out on the grass, as though it were the softest bed and went to sleep.

Tomorrow, but for now, the two men were quite happy to join their acquaintance in sleep…

The first rays of sun tickled the sky, turning black to blue as its golden glow kissed the hills and valleys alike. The taste of wood smoke hung in the air as the birdsong called in the new day.

"Seems as though the Gods were listening to you," Gawain's gruff voice muttered.

_Indeed, they had, or so it would seem._

"You two!" the voice of the girl called from behind them. The Sarmatians turned in time to catch two rolls that had been launched at their heads, "Eat up. The last thing we need is your stomachs giving us away."

"Well somebody isn't a morning person," Gawain muttered under his breath as he tore at the golden roll.

"That's rich coming from you! For it would appear, Sir, it was I that rose with the sun, not you." The fiery girl bit back as she extinguished the remaining coals of the fire.

The golden knight chuckled, "Gawain. My name is Gawain," he gestured to his friend, "That's Galahad."

The pearl-skinned goddess nodded as though committing the names to memory,

"Well then Sirs Gawain and Galahad, if you are finished perhaps we could be on our way. The fog that shielded us has left with the night and if the Woads know of your predicament, I dare say they will be searching for you."

Gawain seemed displeased by her response, though masked it with a charismatic smile, "Very well milady, but surely if we can part with our names you could entrust us with your own?"

Galahad rolled his eyes, finishing off the last of his breakfast as he stood watching the new acquaintance.

_Gawain… ever the charmer was he. Although far more courteous than Lancelot, his fair-haired friend was a close second when it came to wooing the fairer sex._

Grabbing a bow and quiver of red fletched arrows from their hiding place, she froze looking out at the path ahead.

"Lucie."

Suddenly the bizarre, goddess-like girl had gained mortality, Lucie, the fiery maiden who was hell-bent on finding her brother, and was currently striding away from the sanctuary of the grove like a woman possessed.

Gathering their now dry cloaks from their place beside the pile of dead coals the knights hurried after her.

_Stranger things had happened. None that came directly to mind but had probably occurred all the same._

Pondering on the adventure afoot, the ebony haired lad fell into stride beside the bow-wielding girl.

_As his mother had once told him, "Even the greatest quests begin with a single step..."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I do not own King Arthur, the Arthurian legends or any of its characters. The only ones I do own are the ones that I create... Alright I think you get it.

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Chapter Two

"You're not a very talkative one are you?"

"Unlike you," was the only response Lucie could produce.

For the past four hours, since the trio had set off on their journey, Goldie and the Mutt had been trying, and miserably failing, to extract information from her. If the two knights were going to be this nosy the entire trip, she was more than willing to ditch them now in the middle of the valley.

Could these buffoons not sense her urgency?

"Why exactly did the bandits capture your brother? You don't exactly scream wealth."

Taking a breath to settle her irritation Lucie spared a glance at her company, "Morgana."

Morgana was at the top of Lucie's list of suspects. Since the passing of her sister (Lucie's mother), Morgana had become somewhat crazed… well at least more than was considered usual for Lucie's wicked Aunt. Many strange things had come to pass since the passing of Morgause those many years ago.

**_(Flashback)_**

_Rain belted on the door as though it were death itself coming to collect the frail woman that lay on the bed, her breathing shallow, coming in gasps._

"Lucie."

_At the sound of her name the young girl looked at her mother. Grasping her daughter's hand so tightly nails drew blood, the bronze-haired priestess pulled the child closer._

_"Promise me you will protect him. You are all he has now, my child."_

_The girl, freshly thirteen summers old nodded._

_"Promise me!" her mother croaked._

_"I promise, I swear it! I'll protect him Mother, I'd sooner lose my sight than not," she cried, clinging to her mother's icy hand. _

_Lighting flashed and thunder growled, making the cottage shudder in fright. With one last quivering gasp, the light in her mother's eyes faded, leaving in its wake two glassy orbs that stared mercilessly into the very soul of the child._

"Lucie?" a voice broke through, shaking her from her memories.

"What?"

"Morgana, who is she?" the lion-like man quizzed.

That surprised her, "You really don't know?"

"If we did, would we be asking?"

"She is a powerful sorceress some people believe she keeps a dragon as a pet. It is said she slaughters children and steals their youth to stay alive…"

"A dragon?" Galahad interrupted, "They're tales that stop children from wandering off into the hills!"

Lucie was aware of these stories, she too had been told the tales by her mother, "Indeed. Yet that is what people say."

Quickening her pace even further, Lucie welcomed the silence that fell upon them.

Some things were better left unsaid and if the trio were to make it in time to save her brother, they would need to reach the giant's archway by nightfall.

The dark knight cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the other two, "So… what's your brother's name?"

"Gareth."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. -.-.-.-.-

"Arthur, next time you hear reports of mythical, fire-breathing beasts, don't volunteer us. For all we know it was probably a trap the Woad's planned all along!"

Lancelot was not happy. Since the ambush yesterday, the four knights had been riding about the countryside looking for a hide or hair of their missing brothers-in-arms.

The commander had no response for his friend.

"Shut up Lancelot," Cai growled as he continued to scan the thickly wooded area,

"You're not helping."

"Maybe we should stop for a bit, make camp? We've been riding near all night. Besides if we stay still Tristan will probably be able to find us."

For once Bors had a relatively good idea.

"Good idea. Cai and I will ride ahead and see if we can find a good clearing to make camp in. Lancelot, you and Bors can go track down something to eat."

"Oh yes, split up… because that's been working so well for us lately," Lancelot mumbled under his breath as he turned his mount to follow Bors.

Hopefully there would be something other than Woads roaming the woods.

"Right. I reckon we leave the horses here and go by foot. I'll kill, you clean," Bors decided, climbing from his horse and stomping off into the bush with his bow. Graceful was certainly not a word to describe the loud father of six. Letting out a puff of air Lancelot followed, eager to eat something for the first time in almost two days.

While the weather was somewhat better it was still a far cry from perfect. The cool breeze slithered through the trunks, ruffling the leaves of the trees and tugging at his coal black curls as it passed overhead. Minutes melted away. So far, Bors had managed to snag a rabbit, hardly enough to feed the four knights… not that Lancelot was complaining, but the bloody rodent was virtually skin and bones.

The snap of a twig alerted them of a new presence. The two shared a look as Bors notched another arrow, aiming it in the direction of a noise. The half-light of the thick woods was the perfect cover for anyone who knew how to use it.

One heartbeat. Another. Three…

"You should always watch your back," a familiar voice stated behind them, as an armour-clad body stepped out in front of them.

"Bloody ghost," Bors bellowed at the braided warrior who had successfully stalked them, "One day you will scare me to death."

The silent knight said nothing though glanced over at Bedivere who stood smiling, five plump rabbits tied to a stick that was slung over his right shoulder.

"Good work Tristan. You found them!" Bedivere chuckled, "Anybody hungry?"

Lancelot shook his head trying to remove the smirk from his face as he moved towards his friend, "Arthur and Cai have gone to make a camp. Join us."

Bedivere nodded and turned to find Tristan had disappeared again, "I'm about ready to start calling 'im shadow… Well never mind, he'll find us again. Let's go."

Bors still grumbling about their mysterious comrade turned to the pair, "Who's with you lot, Vere?"

"Dagonet and Percival, but they're getting water not far away." The bronze-maned man explained as they began the trek back to the horses.

"No Galahad or Gawain?"

The grey-eyed warrior looked up, concern blazing in his eyes, "They're not with you?"

Bors shook his head frowning, "No. The pups aren't with us."

Bedivere chuckled nervously, "Don't let Gawain hear you say that… if we find them. Perc won't be happy about this."

Lancelot shuddered at the thought of a pissed off Percival. Galahad's older brother was a force to be reckoned with at the best of times. Arthur better start praying to his God that the two youngest would show up or blood would be spilt, be it Roman, Woad or everything in between.

They had all lost brothers, friends, though Percival and Galahad were the only two siblings remaining out of the large group that had begun their service all those years ago.

Letting out a sigh Lancelot hurried to keep up with Bors who was currently untying the horses and joking with Vere about dinner.


End file.
